Gallbladder Cancer Stages  

Once the cancer is confirmed in your gallbladder, your physician will determine its stage, which will help him to choose the most appropriate and effective treatment to fight the tumor. In general, gallbladder cancer includes the following stages:  

Carcinoma in situ (CIS) - also called stage 0, carcinoma in situ is the genesis of the cancer; the cancer cells are located only in the layer of tissue lining the gallbladder. 

Stage I – at this stage, the cancer is confined to the top layers of the tissues lining the gallbladder. 

Stage II – the cancer has spread to the muscle layer of the gallbladder wall; the cancer may also spread to nearby organs such as liver.  

Stage III – at stage 3, the cancer has spread from the wall of the gallbladder to affect the nearby lymph nodes and the body tissues next to your gallbladder 

Stage IV - stage 4 is the most advanced stage of gallbladder cancer; the tumor has spread to distant lymph nodes and other parts of the body such as the stomach, pancreas, stomach or intestines.  

Recurrent– if after the treatment, the cancer returns, it is considered as a recurrent gallbladder cancer. In general, recurrent cancers are more difficult to be treated; survival chance decreases. 

                   Diagnosis                                                             Treatment